The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1887-02-19
THE ARABS HORSE.

In the East the horse Is far more
precious possession than It is with us. I
am not speaking, however, of its money
value, but of the love the Eastern peo-
pie entertain for the animal. The praises
which an Arab lavishes on his horse are
genuine and from the heart, contrast
in every way to the perfunctory eulo-
giums which home lover of the horse
or horse dealer pronounces on his
wares. Proof of this will be found In
the "Romance of Auar," with reference
to Jirwet, Shedad's mare. paragon,
that could not be matched, horse that
was priceless even to the bid of Kings.
..'Seek not to purchase Jirwet," said
Shedad, ''for Jirwet will never be sold;
ask not to borrow her, for Jirwet can
not be lent-no, not If l were offered
strings of camels in return and on their
backs loads of merchandise. Jirwet can
fly without wings, and she tears up the
sands of the desert; in her bound along
the earth she is a living glory, and she
carries me on her back rs if l were u
growth of her own flesh" Other still
more romantic stories and sayings are
extant of the love of the Arab for his
horse. Some who have sold favorite
steed for great sum have given even
more money to get it back again. A
writer of IA Summer Ramble in the
East think that is the title of the
book, but 1 am not quite sure-describes
the fondness of the Arab for his horse
in the following words: "A great
ruffian was mounted on a white mare
of great beauty. Having asked her
price, offered the sum. The Arab said
he loved his mare better than his own
life, that money was Of no use to him,
but that mounted on her he felt as
Pasha. Shoes and stockings he had
none, and the net value of the accoutre-
ments and dress might be calculated at
something less than seventeen pence
sterlng." In the East the horse is even
more beloved and protected-he is, in IL
sense, an object of worship as well; at
all events, in the African deserts the
animal has been even regarded with
both political and religious reverence.
Mohammed helped, from policy, to
make the horse of the East what he has
always been up to the present day, an
object of alteration and love. 1t was
Mohammed who instilled in the people
that love for fine women and fast-going
horses that still exists. The long-headed
Prophet of Mecca decreed the future of
the horse. As Abd-el-Kader observes
''The Prophet was so adroit as to con-
trive that horses and houris should be-
come potent instruments Of religion, rs
we'll as of political ambition. In the
days of paganism they loved the animal
from motives of interest, but when
Mohammed praised it so warmly their
instructive love became also religious
duty"
The Arabs, as is we'll known, enter
tain extravagant ideas as to the origin
of their horses, tracing their genealo-
gies back to the days of Solomon,
King of the grand old stamp, who kept
stud of 10000 horses and employed
$4,000 horsemen. That King Solomon's
horses would be well looked after is
certain, because, among many other
fine precepts to which he gave utterance,
we find one which tells us that "a
righteous man careth much for his
beast" and Solomon doubtless was one
of the few wise persons who practice
what they preach. There is no proof.
however, of the descent of the steeds of
the desert from any of the horses which
had stalls in the stable of the author of
the proverbs and were fed on barley. 1t
was Abd-el-Kader, think, who wrote
an essay to demonstrate that horses
were created before mankind, and that
Allah first made the horse and then the
mare, "the Divine power always Great
ing the noblest first" 1t was doubtless
from Egypt that the Arabs first of all
got their horses; it was from Egypt that
Solomon filled his stalls: "And they
fetched up and brought forth out of
Egypt chariot for 600 shekels of silver
and horse for $50; and so brought
they out horses for all the Kings of the
Hittites and for the Kings of Syria
by their means.'' The Arabs them
selves believe their chestnuts to be the
feetest, the bay the most enduring,
while the black they know to be the
most spirited. A piebald horse no Arab
will look at, and an animal with white
marks on his legs was denounced by the
Prophet, who ordered it to be held in
abhorrence.-Bailey's Monthly.